Seeing into the Heart
by Kodra
Summary: When Sybill sees yet another vision of death, it changes her life forever. One-Shot


Disclaimer: This was originally supposed to be crack, but I think I played it a bit too straight faced.

You can all blame Lord Yellowtail for this one. His revulsion to the thought of it drove me to write this. Here's to you my friend, look at what you made me do.

* * *

Minerva stared down with a look of disdain as Sybill Trelawney was excoriated by the vile Headmistress Umbridge. With each word the young divination professor's fate was solidified. Sybill looked so helpless, so weak as her performance was repeatedly called into question. The head of the Gryffindor's could see the tears of pain welling in the corner of her eyes, as Umbridge's vile invective crescendoed.

Minerva remained composed, as she had done through so many other ordeals. When a full grown troll assaulted the castle, she had remained composed. When a swarm of Dementors invaded the train, she had remained composed. This would be yet one more trying event in the annals of Hogwarts, and as always she would remain composed, even as her heart snapped in twain with each insult hurled, each tear shed.

She felt her soul beat against her body, against her very existence, as she watched the woman she loved wounded so deeply. The woman she had spent the last sixteen years teaching beside, who often infuriated her, who always challenged her, who drove her to madness in unspoken dreams, who was always so vibrant and confident kneeled on the floor broken and completely undone. Her tears paused on her cheeks, as she was frozen by the Headmistress' final proclamation: that she was to leave Hogwart's immediately.

Minerva's breath caught in her throat. This was her hour of need, this was a moment she must not let pass. She closed her eyes momentarily, before reasserting her stern exterior. This was the moment she must let pass, as she had let so many other moments pass before. She could not let her duty to her student's falter. She could not show impropriety, even in the face of this.

A quiet part of her cried out that she was a coward, a coward unfit for the house of lions. Was it courage to give in to her own selfish desires? Was it weakness she was showing or strength. What would Godric have advised? In the end, she stayed silent, and watched as the beautiful young Diviner picked herself up from the floor, and slowly trudged back to her tower for one final time.

* * *

It was later that night, while Minerva was in her office grading papers, when a knock came at her door. The portal opened to reveal the subdued figure of Sybill Trelawney. If she was still around, then Albus must have struck a deal on her behalf. "Good evening, Sybill. I see you have not been evicted from the castle. Did Albus have something to do with it?"

Sybill nodded silently. She lacked her usual vibrance and panache, which hurt Minerva more than she cared to admit. It was her liveliness that attracted the elderly witch to her in the first place. Sybill seemed to considering something, and had yet to utter a single word. "I had a vision that concerns you."

Minerva rolled her eyes. Beautiful though she may be, her subject of expertise was something the transfigurer had a hard time putting stock in. Sybill's visions were often so inaccurate or vague that Minerva had a hard time putting much faith in them. Besides, if she actually did have extraordinary sight, how could she remain so blind to her feelings. "I'm sure you did. So what did you see?"

"I saw your death."

Minerva snorted, her composure finally cracking. "Really, you saw my death? Somewhat like you've seen the death of every student who has walked into that classroom of yours? Go ahead, humor me. How will I die?"

Sybill bit her lip. She looked around the room, checking for any eavesdroppers. "It is many years from now. You are farther along in your years than even Albus Dumbledore is currently. You are lying in a bed, and you are..." She trailed off as her eyes became unfocused. "You are talking to me. Remembering so many different things that have happened to us over the years. The life... we've lived is amazing. You want to know if I can see where the next great adventure takes you. Whether I am with you in the future, and whether you will see your good friend Albus. I explain that my sight can only see this world, and even then, it is only skin deep." She took a deep breath. "Which is why I could never see how much you loved me when I first started teaching at Hogwarts."

Minerva was stunned. Her jaw was agape as Sybill walked towards her. "I was happy Minerva. In my vision, I was happy. I had lived a good life. I had found someone to love. Someone who loved me. I want that life. Please." Sybill's voice cracked at the end, her desperation evident.

McGonagall rose from her desk, a quiet voice in her head telling her all the reasons this would never work. She was too different from her, with her head in the clouds, never paying any attention to the road she traveled. She was too young, more than twenty years her junior. She was a fellow professor, even if the interloper Umbridge had temporarily cast her out. Minerva waved her wand, pushing her desk aside and cleared a path to the desperate diviner. She may have been a coward before, but the lioness could still muster this much courage to battle back that voice. "I want that life too, Sybill. I have wanted it so badly. I've watched you from afar, and you have driven me spare. But I want you." She stepped forward until mere inches separated the two. "Oh how I want you." She wrapped her arms around Sybill's back, pulling her close. Sybill, in turn, wrapped her arms around Minerva's neck. The aging transfigurer tilted her head down and captured the bushy-haired witch's lips, as sparks ignited flames of passion McGonagall had long thought dormant.

* * *

Minerva McGonagall was one of the foremost authorities on transfiguration in the British isles. She got that way through constant practice. This meant that she was rarely wanting for any normal creature comforts. Anything she needed could be transfigured or conjured right where she stood. This method of living kept her transfiguration skills sharp.

Unfortunately, she wasn't the foremost authority on Charms, which might explain why she forgot to use a simple silencing charm on her office, much to the horror of a group of fourth and fifth year students returning from a meeting of Dumbledore's Army.

"Oh Merlin! Yes, oh Minerva! OoooOOOhhh!" Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood looked on in mute horror and fascination at the door to the Gryffindor head of house's office.

Hermione was the one to break the silence. "Is that...Professor Trelawney? I thought Professor McGonagall and her didn't get along?"

Ron Weasley snorted. "Sounds like they're getting along just fine to me."

Hermione blushed. "Yes, but it just doesn't make any sense. That would be like me dating..." She trailed off as her eyes flicked to Luna.

Luna spoke in her dreamy tone. "It sounds like they are enjoying themselves a great deal." She looked off into space for a moment, before turning to Hermione. "Oh, I just had a thought. Hermione, are you doing anything in particular next Hogsmeade weekend?"

Hermione's blush went from pink to red as she sputtered unintelligibly.

Luna stared at her with those protuberant, silver eyes. "Oh dear, it seems the wrackspurts have gotten you. Don't worry Hermione, I can get you a cream for that. I'd be more than willing to help you apply it."

That comment, combined with a low moan from her Transfiguration professor, was enough to cause Hermione Granger's brain to meltdown completely. Harry chuckled as he guided his friend back to her dorm.

* * *

You managed to finish it! I guess it was quite short. Sorry for any grammar/spelling issues, this was written on an airplane when I should have been sleeping, and I didn't send it through a beta pass. Anyways, if you want, leave a review. Also check out my other fic, Uzumaki Hari and the Squib of Hogwarts. That'd be great.


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